Åland in the Horizon

Oops I did it again, I forgot my blog and carried on with my life.. But now again I have feeling I will get some posts done in near future.

Soon is the time for my second summer holiday week, and really can’t wait to pack my bike, board the Viking Line cruise ship and head to the beautiful island of Åland / Ahvenanmaa. I really hope this tropical weather carries on next week, but it does not look promising. I’m bit afraid that after this constant 27-30 degree weather, 20 degrees will feel freezing cold.

I’m going there with a good friend of mine, who is sort of new at biking.. Hence our trip is rather “biking holiday for beginners”, our longest bike ride during one day is around 30 km. That distance for a normal person means about 1,5 hours of biking, with her this may take half a day or a full day. Then again we’re not in hurry; we are on a HOLIDAY. And while I’m waiting for her to reach me, I can spend time taking pics, reading, crocheting or writing.

Tomorrow I will take my bike for a ride, just to make sure that it is in good enough condition to survive four days with me. Although, I need to trust that Åland is full of kind gentlemen, who can help in case I need some fixing with the bike, as I am as helpless to repair bikes as I am with repairing anything. It also seems like my friend is not that talented either, as either of us can't even fix a flat tyre on a bike. 

Really looking forward to explore this small autonomic Swedish speaking island that is part of Finland. So far I have only visited their capital Mariehamn, which is very cute small town that you can walk from one end to anohter in about 5 minutes, at least the centre. So this time we'll visit several little villages, and we’ll also take a couple little ferries from island to island. Oh and not to forget that we will have many possibilities to practice our Swedish language skills!

 

I'm actually at the airport now, as just returned a nice little brown car with cruise control to the rental place, and now I'm waiting for a bus to take me home to my parents’ place.. In other words holiday started !!

Autumn and Changes (that I neeeeeed)

The autumn is here and I have an urge for a change or starting something new. This season just makes me want changes; usually I start to look for a new hobby. Like now,  I actually have been thinking of getting myself a sewing machine, and make some clothes for myself (and shorten my living room curtains that have been collecting dust on the floor for ages now). I think watching Project Runway probably has something to do with this ambition. Also I have had this blog in back of my head for a while now, to start writing again, every now and then. Although, one change is for sure though, summer wardrobe packed away and winter wardrobe is in use!  

Some things have changed since I last time wrote here, though the main part of my life still remains the same: I’m still stuck in Belgium! Although I am not in the capital city anymore, as I moved to Antwerp in November and eventually have started liking my life in this strange little country. Though I never stop dreaming about living in London, Stockholm, Göteborg, Hamburg, New York, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Paris etc.. My little restless soul needs to dream about new places, despite being quite settled now in Antwerp. This time I am living in an apartment where everything is mine, so it really feels like home, unlike the little furnished shoebox that I lived in Brussels.  

Just thinking by the way that having a life as an expat you have pretty often changes in your life, as the people you get to know and learn to like tend to leave, as usually the friendships you form are with fellow expats who are not really know to live ever after in their new country. And usually the locals already have firm and tight friendships with their old friends, and are not too keen on getting to know people from around the globe. Therefore, you need to learn to let go and develop new friendships more often than people who live in their own countries and are surrounded by their old friends from childhood, school, university, etc. Then again you don’t usually fully let go those people who leave, just the form of contact changes, usually it moves into Facebook, emails, Skype, and occasional visits. Of course no “hey let’s go for coffee or shopping” suggestions are possible anymore, and that’s the first thing I miss when a person leaves the country.

This evening I will meet an old friend, who left the country bit over a year ago, and who is greatly missed here in Belgium. But luckily there are airplanes, FB and even Wordfeud to keep in touch :)

Weekend with Films

It has been lazy weekend, though it seems like I write only when I’ve had a slow weekend ;). Although now my calendar is quite empty this spring, so it may be that I’ll write bit more, as there are no weekend plans in the near future (unfortunately).

Yesterday evening I watched a movie that was recommended to me, actually quite long time ago, but now I finally watched it. It’s called The Shawshank Redemption, movie about a guy who gets two life sentences in prison for two murders he didn’t commit. Have to say it wasn’t recommended for nothing, as it definitely was a very good movie. It gave me this uncomfortable feeling, and made me think how frustrating and mind numbing it would be when you don’t make any decisions of your life yourself, you need to ask a permission even for a toilet break. Then again I have to trust the justice system and believe that anyone who has ended up in prison, belongs there.

Even though you are not in a prison, sometimes you live your life like you would be in one. You let your comfort, shyness, money, or any other excuse to constrain you from things that could make your life more fun and exciting, satisfying. I do know it definitely is difficult to get out of your comfort zone, and seize the moment. You need courage and a need for something better. Some people may think about opportunity costs, what I will loose if I do this.

Sometimes I let my shyness to take the best of me. It’s not nice to have that constrain in my behaviour. Especially for such an outgoing person as I am. Although it is part of self-protectionism (so to say), if I don’t say anything then I won’t say anything stupid, and make ass out of myself. Though if you never make ass out of yourself then you never have fun stories to tell. Luckily I do have few stories to tell, but I want to have more! So I carry on building my courage and try to be the bravest girl on the block.

Another movie I watched this weekend was Crazy, Stupid, Love – a chick flick. Not so spectacular movie. 40 something years old couple divorce as they kind of grew apart and the wife cheated the husband. Of course the movie had a happy ending, but does 40 something couples have that kind of ending in their lives, if they end up in situation like that..? Some have, some haven’t and some just don’t realise, I suppose.

There’s a great weather outside, + 12 degrees and sunny. I think I’ll gotta take my running shoes for a little outing, and make plans how I’ll be brave tomorrow ;). 

An Age Crisis ??

6:40 Saturday morning and I woke up! I am clearly getting old, isn’t so that the older you get the less sleep you need? Then again I was very boring person yesterday evening and went to bed already around 22hrs, so I still got quite many hours of sleep. Conclusion being that I am NOT that old, as yet! How come a girl who just has seen 17 summers can be old?

I am thinking of joining a gym again. I didn’t renew the membership to the gym next to our office last autumn, due to a significant raise of the price and the lowered service level. But now I am planning to get a membership from a super expensive gym for 3 or 6 months. And that’s my biggest dilemma today, how long membership shall I take. 3 months would last ‘till the end of April, and 6 months then ‘till the end of July. So, will I really go to the gym during the warm summer months? In addition I have loads of holidays to take, and I in general like to take most of them during the summer months. So, the membership is useless when I am holidaying. Well, anyhow I’ll go to that gym tomorrow to test it. The plan is to go to the Body Pump class at 11:10. Oooh, my body sooooo needs exercise! Other than jogging I mean. I’ve been running regularly so I haven’t turned into sofa-potato, actually I’ve ran this year 62 km already.

I have a holiday planned for beginning of February, which includes a bit of touring in the Nordics, first I will spend almost a week at my parent’s place and then a long weekend exploring a night life of a Swedish city with two exchange student friends. Yeah, some people travel to the sun and I just keep going away from it. But my sun will be all the great friends that I’ll meet while travelling in the North and celebrating yet another 17^th birthday. 

Too long, way too long.. in Belgium

There are numerous lists of “you’ve been too long in Belgium, when..” so I thought to write my own. ;)

1.     You don’t mind that it takes forever to queue to a cashier in a grocery store.

(I’ve started to examine what my co-shoppers are buying and “judge” them based on their purchases)

2.     Don’t get annoyed when the customer front of you in the queue chats with the cashier, pays with coins and once made the payments start to pack their purchases … really taking their time.

(Thank God for iPhone and all the apps in it.. )

3.     You consider a square km of planted trees a forest.

(I don’t really do so.. but Belgians DOES)

4.     You started to miss nature.

(I really have started to miss the real nature and fresh air..)

5.     Consider anyone using public transportation a lower class person.

(I haven’t start to think this way myself as I use bus + train; but it seems like that the only way of transportation for Belgians is either their own car or bicycle.)

6.     You think it is normal behaviour in an intersection that you drive long as you can move which means that the cars who would cross it from other direction will get blocked.

(I just cant put it into words.. hope you get my point.. it happens every bloody day here.)

7.     All public places such as busses and airports are very warm during winter, but houses so cold that you need to wear a down jacket when visiting Belgians.

(Never put your jacket on during the winter when getting out of the plane, it’s very warm at Brussels airport; in addition you have to walk about 10 km to get out of the airport. Oh, and I’ve once caught a cold when visiting a Belgian home!)

8.     You consider egg as a vegetable.

(If you order a sandwich with all the vegetables you get a slice egg in there as well.)

9.     You consider big sandwich made from white bread as a healthy lunch choice.

(They’ve been educated bit differently when it comes to healthy and nutritious food here than compared to Nordic countries..)

10.  You think it is totally normal that people of same nation speak English to each other as they don’t know or don’t want to use the other one’s native language.

(Noticed on a course that French and Flemish speaking Belgians do speak English together, even though no-one else on the course said that they do not speak French except me.)

Well, in December I am less than a half month in Belgium, yay!

How was it in Finland?

I am stuck listening just one artist for weeks now! Forsome reason I can’t stop listening her! I guess the reason being is the factthat I don’t have good nor bad memories linked to her music and it is verygood. Usually I link memories to music and it can ruin the music quite a lot to me, so I have to keep looking new music. Well my close friends think that I am totally untalented person when it comes to music, so they would not take any music recommendations from me. But believe me Laleh is a really good one! So now again it’s onthe background when writing this little blog of mine.

Lastweekend I was “home-home.” You know “home” is the place where Ilive; where I am officially registered, where I go after work. But placecalled “home-home” is the place where I am from, where I go to relax and spendtime with family and friends. So my parent’s place is the ultimate home, whereactually all my stuff is stored at the moment. Have to say I would like to have a home with my stuff around, but that has to wait now.

I alwayswonder what I should answer to people who ask me the surprising question of“how was it in Finland?” or “was it nice trip to home?” Iknow those questions are asked out of politeness, but I am frankly quite boredwith them. As it is always the same when you go home-home; you eat your stomachfull of mother’s cooking, enjoy the clean air by jogging or biking and best of all see dear oldfriends!

Anyhow, itis difficult to come up conversation about trips that you make few times peryear and they are pretty much always the same. Sometimes I also meet up with my old colleagues, but the outcome of the trip is the same: GOOD. Wonder, what kind of answerthose people asking are expecting.. “Oh, what a horrible trip! I just hate togo home, but one has to do it few times a year!!” Well that’s something you’llnever hear from me :P You know one of my favourite things about living abroadare those visits to home-home as then you’ll really enjoy all the positivethings about Finland and nothing bothers you. If somebody there suddenlycomplains me something about Finland – i.e. traffic I just advise how itis in Central Europe andmake them to understand that nothing is so bad in Finland.

Now I thinkI have booked all flights that I’ll do this year, unless something surprisingcomes up. Wondering what such a thing could be… Well like a party somewhere!This weekend I had very quiet weekend, but as of next weekend I am quite busyuntil mid December when I’ll fly back home-home. In between I’ll make a dayvisit with two of my friends from French course to town called Breda in Netherlands. Yes, very logical to visit Netherlands with friends from French course.BUT we’ve all finished (read quit) our French studies over a year ago. Theother friend is Dutch and the other one dating a Dutchman, so suddenly thedestination makes bit more sense.

Thenweekend after I’ll head to Göteborg. This will be my second visit to that cityand I am very much looking forward my long weekend in Sweden. Practicing Swedish with Swedes isnever bad and I gotta have another huge cinnamon roll in a café called Husarenin the old town of Göteborg!! So this means that so far it seems like that I won’t go to Stockholm anymore this year, unlike theoriginal plans. But then again one has to remember that plans are made to bereplanned.

Ooh, andthen there is the compulsory Christmas shopping coming up. That’s something I actuallydo not look forward, as I never have great ideas when it comes to Christmaspresents… Best thing about Christmas is the food and the quietness once thecrazy shopping period is over. Even though yesterday I got a little bit into aChristmas mood as I prepared a birthday present to a friend, that actually is anadvent calendar. I enjoyed doing it even though wrapping 24 little gifts takestime and patience especially since I had way too many somewhat round things towrap.

Now I’llreturn back to my latest project, as I am knitting a sweater to myself. It’syears since I’ve knitted such a big thing. Hmm.. well it won’t be as bigas before, as I’ve lost weight, but still a lot of knitting to do ;)

..oh and I’vebought groceries, which means I need to cook today! :O Busy afternoon ahead: knitting,jogging, cooking and ironing!

What a Great October !

I’ve been thinking about last few weeks while listening a melancholic album by a Swedish artist that was introduced to me over a year ago. Despite the sad music in the background I have to say it was a very nice month!

In the beginning of the month I spent an excellent weekend in Amsterdam with a friend that I had bit problems to locate at the Amsterdam airport. The "locating issues" were due to non-functioning phones and the fact that I was standing buy the exit 1 and he was by the exit 2. But not to worry, we finally found each other and got to spend two days in sunny/rainy/sunny/rainy Amsterdam. There we got to watch funny rowing contest in the endless canals and do bit of shopping; not to forget sightseeing on a canal boat and a lot of walking. In addition I found the cutest and funniest winter cap to myself there, now just waiting for a cold weather so that I can shock people here with that funny cap. ;)

Then last two weekends I’ve had visitors from the north. Week ago a friend from Finland visited me, and we finally made a visit to Luxembourg. We’ve basically been planning to visit the city of Luxembourg almost ever since I’ve moved to Belgium, as one should visit ALL the Benelux countries if one lives here. Well now I’ve done it and it was cute and pretty little town, once you got out of the train station area though. Then on the following day we visited caves in the town of Han-sur-Lesse, that was interesting as well since I’ve never been in any kind of cave in my life. Although have to say that the guide was bit slow, so we, three Finns decided to speed up a little and walked ahead.. Eventually leaving the group far behind. Once we got out of the the cave we were stopped by a locked gate. After waiting for some minutes a man came to us and asked where have we left our guide, well we advised him that the guide is still inside. Then we got a bit of lecture about the fact that there are about 14 km of caves in and we could have got lost. Well, why on earth anyone would leave the lighted bath?

In addition to my visitors at home, there even were visitors in the office this week. It’s always nice to meet up with colleagues from other locations, and socialise with them. This time we did enjoy a couple after work drinks as well in the city of Mechelen. Have to say the town was quite dead on Wednesday night. Luckily German, Finn, Swede and Belgian were willing to bring some life there.  

My (home) visitor number two, from Sweden, arrived on Thursday evening. I had to leave her to explore Brussels alone on Friday as I had to go to work. But she survived very well, even found Manneken Pis by her self, and it is not an easy task to find that tiny statue in the historical center of Brussels. Once I got off from work on Friday we spent the night drinking beer and socialising in one of the most famous pubs in Brussels. Funnily enough we ended up spending few hours of the night with two Norwegians. Well, somehow Nordic people always seem to find each other, and what is nicer company than Norwegians? They are always so damn friendly and happy!

On Saturday it was time to visit Atomium and Little Europe. When it comes to Atomium I have to use a Swedish word to describe myself, which is fegis. As I didn’t dare to go up the top ball, the restaurant. I am afraid of heights and truly felt uncomfortable to go to a lift that is in a tube.. What if it gets stuck somewhere in the middle..? But I did go to the other steel balls that were open, despite the uncomfortable feeling that I experience when I am exposed to heights. After Atomium, we went to see the wonders of Europe in the Little Europe. It was cute, hilarious and interesting all the same time.

Now it is Sunday afternoon, I left my visitor to the Ryan Air bus almost seven hours ago, since then I’ve been being just a lazy ass on the sofa. But it has been very very busy week, so I am allowed to have a lazy Sunday!!! Although, I have to say that I wouldn’t mind having more months like this.

  

Luckily my life doesn’t slow down much now, as in two weeks I’ll spend a long weekend at my parents in Finland. In the end of November or beginning of December I may make a weekend visit to Stockholm and naturally I’ll go to Finland for the Christmas period. Flying there already in the mid December. Time’ll just fly; like me in the northern European sky ;))